Vindication
Vindication Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Game Overview
- Game Setup
- Game Play
- Turn Actions
- Bonus Actions
- Movement
- Visiting Regions
- Controlling Regions
- The Power Board
- Attributes: Specialized Influence
- Companions
- Traits
- Relics
- Monsters
- Speed Upgrades
- Secret Quests
- Vindication
- Proficiency Tiles
- Mastery Tiles
- Ending the Game
- Index: Companions (Blue)
- Index: Companions (Red)
- Index: Companions (Yellow)
- Index: Traits
- Index: Monsters
- Index: Relics
- Index: End-Game Triggers
- Expanded Content
- Treachery Expansion
- Expansion Regions
- Guilds & Monuments Expansion
- Myths & Wonders Expansion
- Game Components
Game Overview
The Main Objective: Honor. You've led a wretched life until now. The goal is to regain as much honor as possible before the end of the epoch. The player who has the most honor at the end of the game wins.
In Vindication, you'll explore the various regions on the island looking for opportunities to expand your influence and gain honor. You and your companions will create a unique storyline — which may include acquiring relics, attaining traits, defeating monsters, controlling regions, and performing secret quests, among other things in your journey to attain the most honor. Each game will evolve very differently as you and other players pursue your own distinct adventure—until one or more of the unique end-game conditions are met.
Key elements of your journey:
- Use Influence and Gain Attributes. You'll exert your influence (colored blocks) to attain the common attributes of inspiration, knowledge and strength, using them to take actions that will increase your honor. You can also convert these common attributes to gain the heroic attributes of courage, vision, and wisdom, to unlock more powerful actions.
- Discover, Visit, and Control Map Regions. Each region on the island has something unique to offer. You can discover and visit regions to gain the benefits offered there. Players who control these regions gain honor when other players visit them.
- Perform Quests. Should you choose, you may perform secret quests to gain honor that your opponents know nothing about. They'll never know how ready you really are when they trigger the end of the game.
- Vindicate Yourself. During the course of the game you'll have the opportunity to regain your reputation as well as your honor. Doing so will grant you an honor boost and double your personal attribute-generating power.
- Add Companions. If you choose to visit an inn, you can add companions to your party to gain new abilities. Each companion is unique, and you can activate one of them each turn to gain their attributes as well as their ability.
- Acquire Relics. Using vision at the Arcane Tower will allow you to acquire and use influence to charge limited-use relics with powerful abilities. Once the influence is gone, you can visit the tower again to recharge them.
- Gain Proficiencies. If you choose, you may use your various attributes to gain proficiencies in those attributes. Proficiencies will increase your mastery totals in the hopes of gaining the substantial end-game bonuses for each attribute.
- Defeat Monsters. Feeling courageous? Delve into the Gaping Maw and face whatever monstrosity awaits you there. Each of your victories there will grant you end-game bonuses.
- Attain Traits. Using wisdom at the Ancient Tomb has the potential to gain your character traits which have passive or triggered abilities that make everything you do much more rewarding.
- Attain Mastery. At the end of the game, mastery tiles will be awarded to the player who has demonstrated the most prowess in each attribute category. Gaining cards and proficiencies of each corresponding color will allow you to compete for these mastery tiles.
- Trigger the End of the Game. The game begins with 2 active end-game triggers. Each end-game trigger has unique criteria that could potentially end the game. When any player meets the requirements of one of them, the next round becomes the final round, so you must be wary as new triggers are added when a player passes a trigger token on the scoring track.
Game Setup
Initial Setup
A. gametrayz. Fill the gametrayz with components as shown.
- Main Board. Place the main game board in the center of the table (the beginner side has visual cues for initial setup). Sort all cards into stacks by color.
- Power Boards & Trayz. Each player takes a game tray with components and the corresponding power board. There is no strategic difference between colors.
- Player Tiles. Each player takes the character tile from his/her tray and places it next to their power board (guilt-ridden scumbag side up).
- Speed Tiles. Each player takes the speed tile with speed "2" and places it next to their character tile, as shown.
- Journey Cards (brown). Randomly deal one journey card to each player, who follows its instructions: 6. Place your metal player medallion on the designated map triangle. 7. Place your wooden scoring disc on the scoring track at space 15. 8. On your power board, place 8 of your wooden blocks into your potential, and 8 into your influence, and 2 into your conviction. 9. Place 1 of your wooden blocks onto the main board in each of the attribute circles for inspiration, knowledge and strength. 10. Draw the top face-down companion card of the color shown on your journey card, gain its honor (upper right), and place it next to your power board. Place all journey cards back into the box.
- Companion, Relic, Trait, and Monster Cards. Shuffle and stack these cards face-down on the main board to the left of the attribute sphere of the matching color. Then, flip the top cards face up to the right of each sphere.
- Secret Quests. Shuffle the secret quest cards and deal 2 to each player, who keeps 1 of them face-down, returning the other to the stack. Each player may look at their own secret quest at any time.
- Region Tiles & Pouch. Place the 19 hexagonal core region tiles into the cloth pouch. Reveal the 2 regions adjacent to each player and then set the pouch beside the main board (see list of core region tiles).
- Mastery Tiles. Arrange the 6 large mastery tiles into the lid of the community game tray.
- Proficiency Tiles. For each color, place 1 less proficiency tile than the number of players in a stack on the main board beneath the related attribute circle. (Example: in a 3-player game, use 2 tiles of each color, 12 total).
- Trigger Tokens. From the community tray, place the 4 round, metal trigger tokens on the scoring track at the 30, 45, 60, and 75 spaces. It does not matter which side goes up.
- End-Game Trigger Cards. Randomly flip 2 end-game trigger cards face-up next to the game board. Place the rest of the stack face-down next to it.
- Community Tray. Leave the dice and the extra components in the community tray; these can be accessed when needed.
Expansion Cards. If playing with any expansion cards (such as loot cards, pet cards, and infused crystal cards), stack these cards to the side of the main board.
IMPORTANT: Companions with the "cannot be a starting companion" icon cannot be used as starting companions. Players who draw a companion with this icon should draw until they get a replacement without this icon, shuffling the rest back into the stack.
Game Play
Initial Placement
After the game is set up and players have placed their tokens on the starting locations indicated on their journey card, reveal the regions adjacent to the players by drawing from the pouch.
Starting the Game
The player on the lowest-numbered space gets the starting player miniature (Sestra, Lorekeeper) and goes first. Play begins with the player at the lowest numbered space. Play continues clockwise (players, not tokens) until the end of the game is triggered.
Turn Summary
Players may take each of these actions once, and may do so in any order:
- Activate (p. 15)
- Move (p. 8-9)
- Visit a region or rest (p. 8-9)
Additionally, players may take bonus actions any time during their turn:
- Convert heroic attributes (p.13)
- Acquire a proficiency (p.20)
- Gain control of a region (p.11)
- Recover influence (p.8)
- Vindicate (p.20)
Turn Actions
Perform 3 Actions in Any Order: Activate, Move, Visit/Rest
On your turn, you may perform these 3 actions in the order you feel is most advantageous to you. You must move each turn, the other actions are optional.
Activate
"Activating" means gaining attributes and/or abilities from a companion card or character tile. Here's how it works:
- Choose either your character or a companion you control. Place 1 block from your influence sphere to the companion's sphere (p.15). (Your character never requires influence.)
- Gain the attributes that character or companion generates for your party. You may choose to gain as many attributes as you wish, up to the total allowed. (Example: Beast-Mistress Veroa grants 2 strength. You may choose to gain 0, 1, or 2 strength.)
- Optional: use the companion's special ability during your current turn. (Example: Beast-Mistress Veroa allows you to upgrade your mount for 1 strength instead of 3.)
Move
- You must move at least 1 space each turn.
- Move on the triangles between the hex tiles (p.9).
- Move a number of spaces on the map up to your speed. Your normal speed is 2 until you've upgraded your mount at the command post (p.19).
Visit a Region or Rest
- Choose 1 adjacent hex tile to perform its associated action (p. 10-11).
— or —
- Do not visit a region and instead augment 1 power (p.12).
Bonus Actions
You may take these any time during your turn:
- Convert Heroic Attributes. Converting common attributes to heroic attributes can be performed at any time, an unlimited number of times (p.13).
- Gain a Proficiency. Using attributes to gain a proficiency can be performed once on your turn (p.20).
- Control a Region. When visiting a region, you may pay the associated conviction cost to also gain control of the region (p.11).
- Recover Influence. At any time on your turn, you may recover a block to your influence sphere from anywhere in the game — except from your potential. You may also dilute power from conviction to influence. If you recover influence from a companion, immediately return all influence from that companion, the card is removed from the game, and you lose that companion's honor. There is no limit for recovering influence, aside from the inherent loss of value.
- Vindicate Yourself. Once you've met the criteria, you may flip your character tile over from wretched to vindicated, unlocking increased attribute gains plus a 1-time honor bonus (p.20).
Additional Bonus Actions: Use Trait Abilities (p.16), Activate a Relic (p.17), Move a Pet (p. 35).
Movement
Movement Limit
You may move a number of spaces on the map up to your speed. Your normal speed is 2 until you've upgraded.
Movement Rules
- Movement occurs on the triangular spaces between the hexagonal map tiles.
- Your normal movement speed is equal to your speed tile. You start the game with a speed of 2 and can upgrade your speed tile for 3 strength at the command post.
- You must move at least 1 space per turn.
- You may not end your turn on the same space you began on.
- You may move through other players but you may not stop on spaces occupied by other players.
- You may move into the numbered starting spaces.
Entrapment
- In the very rare case you become trapped with opponents blocking all legal movements, you may add up to 2 to your movement. This act of desperation causes you to dilute 1 power (p.12).
Visiting Regions
Discovering Regions
You must reveal all open spaces discovered as you move. For each, draw 1 region from the bag and place it on the open hex. Place these tiles in the order you discovered them, after you complete your movement. Example: if you move 2 spaces revealing 2 open hexes, you must first complete your movement, then draw and place the first tile you passed, and then the second.
Visiting Regions
Visiting a region allows you to take the action on the region tile. When visiting a region that requires you to use attributes as a cost, you must use the full amount to visit that region. If you are unable to do so, you cannot visit that region. Region actions can be performed once per turn unless otherwise stated. (Regions with exceptions to this rule are the monastery, command post, and shrine.)
The Core Region Set
For your first game, the recommended 19-tile core region set is:
- Academy (x1). Roll the attribute die and gain that attribute. Then, if you did not already have that attribute, you may roll the die once more and gain one additional attribute.
- Ancient Tomb (x1). Use 2 wisdom to attain either the face-up trait or draw the top face-down trait from the stack (p.16).
- Arcane Tower (x1). Use 2 vision: acquire either the face-up magical relic or draw the top face-down magical relic from the stack — and/or — recharge any number of your relics (p.17).
- Command Post (x2). Use 3 strength to upgrade your mount and increase your speed (p.19). You may repeat this process as many times as you can afford it.
- Fort (x2). Train to gain +2 strength.
- The Gaping Maw (x1). Use 2 courage to confront either the face-up monster or delve deeper into the cave and draw the top face-down monster (p.18).
- Holy Spire (x2). Meditate to gain +2 inspiration.
- Inn (x3). Use 1 inspiration, 2 knowledge, or 2 strength to add a companion of that color to your party (e.g. add a red companion with strength, p.14-15).
- Library (x2). Study to gain +2 knowledge.
- Monastery (x2). Use 1 knowledge, then augment 1 power. You may repeat this process as many times as you can afford it. You may augment the same blocks used to pay for the effect from the knowledge sphere.
- Shrine (x2). Use 1 inspiration to return up to 2 influence from companions you control to your influence sphere. You may repeat this process as many times as you can afford it.
Note on symbols: Regions with the arrow ("→") symbol allow you to perform the action only once per turn. Regions with the colon (":") allow you to perform the action as many times as you can afford it.
Controlling Regions
Area Control Overview
- You must visit a region in order to control it, including paying any associated attribute costs.
- You immediately gain 2 honor when taking control of a region.
- You gain 2 honor at the end of the game for each region you still control.
- As long as you control the region, you gain 2 honor when another player visits that region.
- If you visit a region controlled by another player, that player gains 2 honor.
- If you visit a region you control, you gain no honor — you cannot honor yourself.
- You may not gain control of one region and visit another region on the same turn (unless otherwise specified by an effect or ability).
Gaining Control of a Region
To gain control of a region:
- You must visit the region in order to control it. However, you may take control of a region first, and visit it after (this could affect honor gains).
- If the region is uncontrolled, you may use 1 conviction and place it on the region to denote your control.
- To gain control of a region controlled by another player, you must use 2 conviction — 1 to knock them out (return this conviction to your influence) and the other to denote your control (place this on the region).
- Gaining control of a region is a bonus action. You may gain control of a region, and then immediately visit that region, or vice versa.
Losing Control of a Region
If you lose control of a region, nothing happens except returning your block back to your influence sphere (not your conviction sphere).
Regions can only be fortified in the Guilds & Monuments expansion (p.38-39). Regions are placed with the non-fortified side face-up by default. This side has one small sphere. The fortified side has 3 spheres.
The Power Board
Potential
This sphere has the capacity to increase the number of blocks you can use in the game. Until potential is unlocked by augmenting your power, it's worthless. Rest or visit a Monastery to augment blocks from potential to influence.
Influence
Influence is the primary resource in the game. Each player controls all influence (colored blocks) of one color. Blocks can be moved from your influence sphere to the spheres on the board to track your attributes, to the spheres on your companions to activate them, to the spheres on relics to track their charges, or be augmented to conviction on your power board.
Conviction
Conviction is your ability to overcome difficult outcomes through willpower, confidence and resolve. Use conviction to gain control of regions (p.11), prevent a champion from being killed by a monster (p.18), or to gain an empowered draw on any stack on the main board (p.9).
Augmenting Power
- Augmenting your power means moving it one level up, from potential to influence, or from influence to conviction.
- You may choose to augment 1 power by resting instead of visiting a region on your turn.
Diluting Power
- Diluting your power means moving it one level down, from conviction to influence, or from influence to potential.
IMPORTANT: Any time blocks are returned to your power board, they always go into the center sphere (influence).
Attributes: Specialized Influence
Each attribute works like specialized influence. For example: when you study at a library, some of your influence temporarily moves from your influence sphere to the knowledge sphere on the board, where it remains until used. If you choose to use that knowledge to perform an action, those blocks return to your influence sphere to be exerted later as other attributes, or augmented into conviction.
The three common attributes are:
- Inspiration is the measure of your imagination, creative impulse, ingenuity, and leadership.
- Knowledge is the measure of your intellectual capacity, cognitive ability, and expertise.
- Strength is the measure of your power, toughness, intensity, resilience, and fortitude.
The three heroic attributes are:
- Courage is the measure of your valor, and stout-heartedness, and bravery in the face of danger.
- Vision is the measure of your perception, intuition, and the ability to predict future outcomes.
- Wisdom is the measure of your discernment, ability to apply knowledge, and make decisions.
Conversion
Conversion is a key part of the game—it allows you to upgrade your common attributes to heroic attributes. This is used to perform new actions and acquire different cards. Following the color wheel:
- Converting to Courage: inspiration (yellow) + strength (red) = courage (orange).
- Converting to Wisdom: inspiration (yellow) + knowledge (blue) = wisdom (green).
- Converting to Vision: knowledge (blue) + strength (red) = vision (purple).
Rules of conversion:
- Each of the 2 colors must be present for a conversion.
- Heroic attributes never convert down to common attributes. (e.g. vision + wisdom do not create knowledge)
- Conversion cannot be reversed.
In a conversion, 1 block goes from one attribute circle into the heroic attribute circle and the other block returns to the influence sphere. Conversion is a bonus action and can be used at any time, any number of times.
Companions
Add companions to your party at the Inn of the Black Dove.
Companions boost the honor, attributes, and special abilities you get to use in the game. They're good—add them to your party. Companions can only be found at the inns. Clever folks like you will consider diversifying their companion colors and creating combos with the various companion abilities.
When adding a companion, players can either take the face-up companion, or draw the face-down companion and add him/her to their party. The cost is the same in either case.
- Yellow companions: You may use 2 inspiration to add a yellow companion to your party.
- Blue companions: You may use 2 knowledge to add a blue companion to your party.
- Red companions: You may use 2 strength to add a red companion to your party.
When visiting an inn, players may choose to add a companion of any color.
Starting Companions
At the start of the game, you'll draw a journey card which will instruct you to draw a companion card of a specific color and add it to your party. This is the companion who revived you when you washed ashore.
IMPORTANT: Companions with the "cannot be a starting companion" icon cannot be starting companions (draw until you get a companion without this symbol, shuffling the rest back into the stack).
Card Anatomy
- Initiative (upper-left number): indicates response time. Your champion is the companion with the lowest number (see defeating monsters, p.18).
- Companion name & title: Titles are flavor text only—they have no game function.
- Attributes gained when this companion is activated (shown upper left).
- Honor gained immediately when this companion is added to your party or lost if they leave it (upper right).
- Influence sphere where 1 influence block is placed each time this companion is activated.
- Optional companion ability (bottom of card). Companion abilities can only be used on the same turn they are activated.
- Companion color (frame).
Activating Companions
Here's how it works:
- Place a block from the influence sphere on your power board to the sphere on the companion card.
- Gain the attributes shown on the upper left of the card (moving blocks from the influence sphere on your powerboard to the attribute spheres on the main board).
- Optional: use the special ability at the bottom of the card during that turn only.
Notes About Companions
- There is no limit to the number of companions you can have in your party.
- Companions count towards mastery of their attribute at the end of the game. (e.g. yellow companions count towards inspiration mastery, etc.)
- Companions who are activated repeatedly over the course of several turns will accumulate more and more of your influence to keep them loyal; you can use your inspiration at the shrine (p.10) to motivate your companions and return influence back to your power board.
- Companion abilities labeled 'passive' are always active, even on other players' turns.
- Some companion abilities only trigger when they join your party or at the end of the game. These abilities do not require the companion to be active.
Traits
Attain traits at the Ancient Tomb.
Using wisdom has the potential to gain your character traits which have passive or triggered abilities that make everything you do much more rewarding.
Attaining a Trait
There is only 1 unique map region in the game where traits can be attained: the Ancient Tomb.
- You must be adjacent to the Tomb of the Ancients and use 2 wisdom to attain a trait.
- When attaining a trait, you can either draw the face-up trait, or draw the face-down trait. The cost is the same in either case.
- Honor is gained (or lost) immediately when a trait is attained — it is not gained when the trait is used.
- Trait abilities can be used immediately.
- Traits with triggered abilities can be used more than once per turn.
- For the purposes of this game, passive traits refer to cards with abilities that could be used on another player's turn. These traits can be used once per turn.
- There is no limit to the number of traits you can attain.
- Traits count toward wisdom mastery at the end of the game (green).
Relics
Acquire relics at the Arcane Tower.
Mysterious things are fun, are they not? If you choose to put your heroic vision to good use, you may have the opportunity to get your mitts on a few of these powerful trinkets which will help you on your quest to erase your wretchedness and regain some semblance of honor. Relics come with a finite number of influence. They can be activated once per turn by using that influence and then standing back to behold the glorious effect!
Recharging Relics
When visiting the Arcane Tower, you may recharge any number of relics by adding influence to them.
IMPORTANT: When you visit the Arcane Tower, you can acquire a new relic and/or recharge any or all of your relics as part of the same action on the same turn. Using 2 vision is required in all cases.
Notes About Relics
- You must be adjacent to the Arcane Tower and use 2 vision to acquire a relic.
- When acquiring a relic, you can either draw the face-up relic, or draw the face-down relic. The cost is the same in either case.
- Relics require influence in order to use them. When acquiring these relics, that influence must immediately be placed on the relic from the influence sphere.
- Honor is gained immediately when a relic is acquired — it is not gained each time the relic is used.
- Relic abilities can be used immediately, but only once per turn.
- There is no limit to the number of relics you can acquire or use on each turn.
- Relics count toward vision mastery at the end of the game (purple).
- A relic can hold a maximum of 3 influence.
Monsters
Defeat monsters at the Gaping Maw.
If you fancy yourself the courageous one willing to delve into the Gaping Maw, let's hope you can at least keep your wits about you. Trouncing the evil there and sending it shrieking back into the darkness will net you a hulking load of honor and additional attributes to boot.
Notes About Defeating Monsters
- Identify your champion — this is the companion in your party with the lowest number (see card anatomy p.15). If you do not have any companions, you cannot fight monsters.
- You always win. So long as you have a champion, you will always defeat a monster, though you may take losses during the fight.
- Honor is gained immediately.
- You must be adjacent to the Gaping Maw and use 2 courage to defeat a monster.
- When defeating a monster, you can either draw the face-up monster, or confront the face-down monster.
- There is no limit to the number of monsters a player can defeat.
- Defeated monsters count toward courage mastery at the end of the game (orange).
Losses and Ultimate Victory
(roll the black and white dice simultaneously)
The black die determines your losses:
- Fatigue. A long, grueling fight causes fatigue. You must add 2 influence to your champion (you may recover influence if necessary, p.8).
- Death. Eternal rest. However you want to say it. Your champion and his/her honor is lost, those blocks are returned to your influence sphere (return the card to the box). You may use 1 conviction to prevent this!
- Miss! You somehow manage to evade the creature's attack.
Victory! The white die determines what you learn during the fight (you may gain that attribute immediately).
Speed Upgrades
Upgrading Your Speed
You may visit a command post and use 3 strength to tame a new mount and increase your speed. Each time you upgrade, take or flip to the next highest speed tile and immediately gain the honor on the bottom of the tile. You may upgrade your mount as many times as you can afford on a turn.
- Pedestrian. By default, you walk everywhere you go, moving 2 spaces each turn with no additional honor. (Speed 2, 0 honor.)
- Charger Mount. Your charger upgrade allows you to move 3 spaces per turn and gets you 3 honor immediately. (Speed 3.)
- Beast Strider. Your strider upgrade allows you to move 4 spaces per turn and hauls in 4 honor for you. (Speed 4.)
- Giant Moth. Your moth upgrade allows you to move 5 spaces per turn and rakes in 5 honor. (Speed 5.)
Secret Quests
In the base game, you'll have 1 secret quest card to pursue during the course of the game if you choose.
The primary benefit of secret quests is that your opponents won't know whether or not you've completed your quests, and thus won't know exactly what your honor total is.
There are 2 quests on the card, each of which is optional. You may complete 1 or both of them and gain the honor for each completed quest at the end of the game. You do not lose honor for any incomplete quests.
Vindication
There are 2 criteria which much both be met in order to vindicate your character:
- You must augment all of your potential so that none remain in your potential sphere.
- Your scoring disc must reach or pass 25 honor.
Once you've met these criteria, you may flip your character tile over from wretched to vindicated, unlocking increased attribute gains and a one-time honor bonus.
IMPORTANT: Once you're vindicated you're always vindicated, even if you dilute influence back into your potential sphere or fall below 25 honor.
Proficiency Tiles
Once per turn (as a bonus action, and only on your turn) you may choose to use your attributes to gain (1) proficiency tile. Simply turn in 3 of any attribute to acquire its associated proficiency tile, if one is available.
A proficiency tile counts as 2 cards for its corresponding color, increasing your end game mastery total for that attribute by 2.
- You can acquire a proficiency tile at any time on your turn if you have the requisite number of attributes.
- As long as tiles are available, you can accumulate as many as possible without limitation.
- You may discard a proficiency tile at any time to gain 2 of that attribute. If you discard a proficiency tile, it is removed from the game.
Example: On your turn, you choose to return 3 wisdom from the green sphere on the main board to your influence sphere and acquire a wisdom proficiency tile. This will increase your wisdom mastery at the end of the game by 2. You may at any time choose to discard it and immediately gain 2 wisdom back, but sacrificing its end-game mastery value.
Mastery Tiles
At the end of the game, mastery tiles will be awarded for each of the 6 attributes. The single player who has accumulated the most cards and proficiency tiles associated with a particular attribute will win the mastery tile. In a tie, nobody gets it. Life is hard. Work harder.
Mastery tiles are awarded to the player who has the combined highest total of:
- Cards of that color.
- Proficiency tile values of that color.
- Any mastery bonuses from other cards.
Calculating Mastery Totals
Simply count the number of cards you control of that color, plus proficiency tiles of that attribute and bonuses from other cards. (Example: 1 proficiency tile counts as 2 cards; relics count 1 each.)
Ending the Game
End-Game Triggers
At the beginning of the game, 2 trigger cards are flipped face-up; they are considered active. When a player meets the requirements of one of them, the next round becomes the final round.
When a player advances to a trigger token on the scoring track (located on the 30, 45, 60, and 75 spots) that player takes the token and a new trigger is added to the active triggers.
Ending the Game
When the conditions on one or more of the active end-game trigger cards are met, remove any remaining trigger tokens from the honor track, finish the current round and then the next round becomes the final round. This effect cannot be "untriggered". In this way, all players get an equal number of turns. The player with the most honor at the end wins.
End-Game Honor Bonuses
- Award honor for mastery tiles (p.21).
- Award honor for end-game bonuses (i.e. monsters, p.18).
- Award honor for secret quests (p.20).
- Award 2 honor for each region controlled.
Tiebreakers
In the event of a tie, the following criteria should be applied (in order) until a winner is determined:
- The player with the most conviction.
- The player with the least amount of potential remaining.
- The player with the least amount of end-game trigger tokens.
Index: Companions (Blue)
Note: Companion abilities can only be used on the same turn they are activated. Companions marked "cannot be a starting companion" are indicated.
- Adena, the Living Journal. Historian. Initiative = 15. Adena counts toward both vision and knowledge mastery. At game end, this card counts as if it were purple as well as blue.
- Adren, the Methodical. Architect. Initiative = 68. If you gain control of one or more regions this turn, gain 1 honor. Only 1 honor can be gained each turn in this way.
- Anazi'birin, Seeker of the Name. Scholar. Initiative = 60. Use 5 knowledge and return 5 influence from Anazi'birin to your influence sphere: take an extra turn. (Return 5 blocks from the knowledge sphere on the main board to your influence sphere to take the extra turn.)
- Belac, the Potent Mind. Sage. Initiative = 27. Augment 1 additional power at a monastery. When visiting a monastery, gain one bonus augmentation for free. Paid augmentations are not required.
- Dealmaker Gha-Kein. Dealer. Initiative = 43. Remove 1 card you control from the game. Gain half of it's honor, rounded down. There is no honor loss for removing a card. Cannot be used on treachery cards.
- Durgle the Determined. Apprentice. Initiative = 26. Augment 1 potential to influence for each proficiency you have attained.
- Elina, Scribe of Moderate Worth. Scribe. Initiative = 44. When you activate Elina, activate your character. You may convert 3 influence on Elina to 1 knowledge. During conversion, 1 influence on Elina goes into the knowledge sphere on the board and the other 2 to your influence sphere.
- Empress Rhun, the Violet Sun. Empress. Initiative = 59. Once per turn, convert 1 vision to 1 honor. This block moves from the vision sphere on the board to the influence sphere on your power board.
- Fynnok, the Forked Branch. Guru of Harmony. Initiative = 58. When Fynnok joins your party, gain 1 vision. This companion has increased immediate value. He grants no optional activation ability; the vision is a 1-time gain.
- Igor and Senna. Child Wonders. Initiative = 16. Augment 1 potential to conviction for free when visiting a monastery. When visiting a monastery, you may move 1 block from potential to conviction. This ability does not require knowledge.
- Leiyha, the Lost Dream. Prodigy of Mind. Initiative = 36. Add an extra influence on Leiyha: return 2 influence from companions you control to your influence sphere.
- Nyra, the Gilded Eye. Relic Hunter. Initiative = 4. Move 1 influence from your influence sphere to a relic you control.
- Sestra, Lorekeeper. Savant. Initiative = 29. If adjacent to a library, gain 1 knowledge. Visiting the library is not required.
- Storytellers Hira and Gan. Elders. Initiative = 67. Return 3 influence from Hira and Gan to your influence sphere: roll the white attribute die. Gain the attribute rolled, of course.
- Trader Elyas. Elixir Merchant. Initiative = 45. For each influence on Trader Elyas, you may return 1 influence from another companion to your influence sphere. Does not affect the companions of other players. Can affect one or multiple companions of yourself. Elyas cannot affect himself.
- Ursula, the Mind Star. Prophetess. Initiative = 47. Look at the top card on any of the 6 face-down card stacks on the board. Put it back, or flip it face-up. This card does not need to be revealed to other players unless flipped.
- Yenara, the Inquisitive Mind. Alchemist. Initiative = 48. Convert 1 knowledge to either 1 inspiration or 1 strength.
- Yohna, the Eccentric. Illusionist. Initiative = 46. Convert 1 conviction to 1 vision or vice versa.
- Zaya, the Untamed. Adept. Initiative = 28. Acquiring relics costs you 1 vision. Relics cost you only 1 vision when visiting the Arcane Tower this turn.
- Zinh, Wind in the Trees. Spy. Initiative = 5. Other players gain no honor when you visit regions they control.
Index: Companions (Red)
- Arn, First Son of Steel. Commander. Initiative = 11. If adjacent to a fort, gain 1 strength. Visiting the fort is not required.
- Beast Mistress Veroa. Beast Mistress. Initiative = 53. This turn, you may upgrade your mount 1 level for 1 strength. Mount upgrades cost you only 1 strength per level when visiting the command post this turn.
- Dregun, Long Forgotten. Bounty Hunter. Initiative = 2. Defeating monsters costs you only 1 courage. Defeating monsters costs you only 1 courage when visiting the Gaping Maw this turn.
- Drokk, Stone Whisperer. Tribesman. Initiative = 63. Use 5 strength and return 5 influence from Drokk to your influence sphere: take an extra turn. (Giant.)
- Ga'nok, Son of Ve'nok. Tribesman. Initiative = 32. If you roll a die, you may instead roll twice and choose from the results. This affect works any time you would roll 1 die—either the black or white die, this turn, for any reason.
- Groll, Heart of Flame. Adventurer. Initiative = 18. At the end of the game, each completed quest reward you've attained gains you 2 honor. Gain 2 honor for each completed quest, up to 4 honor per card.
- Herk. Winterfresh Golem. Initiative = 33. Herk counts toward both courage and strength mastery. At game end, this card counts as if it were orange as well as red.
- Izah, the Tireless. Wanderer. Initiative = 52. If there are 3 or more influence on Izah, augment 1 influence to conviction.
- Jerno, the Breathless. Tracker. Initiative = 39. Add 1 to your movement. Extends normal movement this turn by one.
- Krajik, the Unruly. Savage. Initiative = 21. Lose all attributes. Gain 1 honor for each. Return all of your attributes from the main board to your influence sphere; gain 1 honor for each attribute returned in this way. Partial returns are not allowed.
- Nalin, Dangerously Debonair. Statesman. Initiative = 62. Taking control of an occupied region requires only 1 conviction and grants 1 additional honor. Only affects occupied regions.
- Nilo, Twice Forged in Flame. Man-at-arms. Initiative = 19. Convert 1 conviction to courage or vice versa.
- One-Shot Dara. Deadeye. Initiative = 7. If there are 2 or more influence on Dara, move 1 to your influence sphere and another to your conviction sphere.
- Qu'ara, the Unshakable. Shield Maiden. Initiative = 9. Convert 1 conviction into 2 inspiration or 2 knowledge. Move 1 conviction to your influence sphere, then move 2 influence into either to the inspiration or knowledge sphere on the main board. Cannot be split 1 each.
- Ruak, Defender of the Sacred Spirit. Master Hunter. Initiative = 1. When attacking a monster with Ruak as your champion, roll the white attribute die twice instead of rolling both dice.
- Wim, Sprightly Squire. Squire. Initiative = 38. When you activate Wim, activate your character. You may convert 3 influence on Wim to 1 strength. During conversion, 1 influence on Wim goes into the strength sphere on the board and the other 2 to your influence sphere.
- Xan, the Undaunted. Champion. Initiative = 10. Add 2 extra influence on Xan: activate 1 additional companion (you must pay the activation cost). Requires the addition of 3 influence; 1 to activate Xan and the other 2 to trigger the ability. If the ability is triggered, you may then activate another of your companions this turn (at the normal influence cost, including gaining their attributes and their optional ability).
- Yanos, the Lost Aspiration. Prodigy of Body. Initiative = 34. If you have 2 or more proficiencies, activating Yanos does not require influence.
- Yok-No, the Sharpened Mind. Guru of War. Initiative = 8. When Yok-No joins your party, gain 1 courage. This companion has increased immediate value. He grants no optional activation ability; the courage is a 1-time gain.
- Zharah, Daughter of Flame. Tactician. Initiative = 3. You may split your movement before and/or after your other actions however you wish. (Example: if your movement is 3, you may move 1, activate Zharah, move 1, visit a region, and then move 1.)
Index: Companions (Yellow)
- Ambassador Kaladre. Ambassador. Initiative = 66. Kaladre counts toward both wisdom and inspiration mastery. At game end, this card counts as if it were green as well as yellow.
- The Black Dove. Vagabond. Initiative = 12. When you visit a region controlled by another player, augment 1 influence to conviction. That player still gains the honor bonus when you visit that region.
- Dahlia, Queen of Bloom Haven. Herbalist. Initiative = 64. Return 2 influence from Dahlia to your influence sphere: augment 1 potential to influence.
- Dawn, the Lost Hope. Prodigy of Spirit. Initiative = 35. Add an extra influence on Dawn: proficiencies cost you 2 attributes instead of 3. Requires the addition of 2 influence on the same turn to gain the ability.
- Dryn, the Night's Beacon. Guru of Peace. Initiative = 69. When Dryn joins your party, gain 1 wisdom. This companion has increased immediate value. He grants no optional activation ability; the wisdom is a 1-time gain.
- Eila, Flicker of Days to Come. Initiate. Initiative = 54. When you activate Eila, activate your character. You may convert 3 influence on Eila to 1 inspiration. During conversion, 1 influence on Eila goes into the inspiration sphere on the board and the other 2 to your influence sphere.
- Elya, the Faithful. Believer. Initiative = 65. Use 5 inspiration and return 5 influence from Elya to your influence sphere: take an extra turn.
- Grenn, Prodigy of Rhymes. Bard. Initiative = 56. When you add a companion from an inn, gain 2 honor. Only available to 1 per turn if you can create a combo to add more than 1 companion.
- Jika, the Brazen. Nomad. Initiative = 22. When Jika joins your party, augment 3 influence to conviction. This companion has increased immediate value. She grants no optional activation ability; the conviction is a 1-time gain.
- Johann, the Tinkerer. Inventor. Initiative = 42. Add 1 extra influence to Johann: roll the white attribute die. Requires the addition of 2 influence on the same turn to gain the ability.
- Kealith, Oathkeeper. Zealot. Initiative = 13. Return 2 influence from Kealith: your next empowered draw this turn does not require conviction.
- Kheya, the Ascended. Mentor. Initiative = 40. Add an extra influence on Kheya: use another player's heroic trait ability this turn (you must pay any cost). Allows you to use another player's trait ability for yourself. Works on any trait, including treacherous traits.
- Miara, Song of the Woods. Minstrel. Initiative = 41. If adjacent to a shrine, return 2 influence from companions. Visiting a shrine is not required. Can affect one or more of your companions.
- Nyei, of the Folded Leaf. Diplomat. Initiative = 57. Gain 1 strength or 1 knowledge if you have none. Example: if you have 1 strength and 0 knowledge at the time of activation, this ability could grant you knowledge, but not strength.
- Oneth, of the Folded Leaf. Lookout. Initiative = 3. Passive Ability: Players cannot gain control of any of your regions if you are adjacent to one of them.
- Oog'Teh, the Water's Touch. Healer. Initiative = 55. Convert up to 2 inspiration to knowledge.
- Tirynn, Spirit Unbroken. Ascetic. Initiative = 24. Attaining traits costs you 1 wisdom. Traits cost you only 1 wisdom when visiting the Ancient Tomb this turn.
- Xina, Pity Mage. Enchantress. Initiative = 14. Dilute 1 power: visit an additional region this turn. You must be adjacent to the region, and it must be a different region than the first. The additional visit action is independent of your normal visit action; you may not gain control of this region during this visit.
- The Zharyan Sisters. Triplets. Initiative = 23. Passive ability: Other players cannot affect your yellow companions, or their influence, in any way.
- Zho, Barrier to Darkness. Disciple. Initiative = 25. If adjacent to a holy spire, gain 1 inspiration. Visiting a holy spire is not required.
Index: Traits
Note: Traits with triggered abilities can be used more than once per turn. Passive traits can be used once per turn.
- Creativity. Gain 2 honor each turn you convert to wisdom. This trait gains you a maximum of 2 honor per turn.
- Devotion. Each time you use conviction, gain 1 honor. Can be used for separate abilities or separate instances of the same ability on a single turn.
- Diligence. When you attain a trait, acquire a relic or defeat a monster, you may augment 1 influence to conviction.
- Expertise. Gain 2 honor each turn you convert to courage. This trait gains you a maximum of 2 honor per turn.
- Gallantry. When you defeat a monster or gain control of an opponent's region, gain 2 honor.
- Humility. Passive: when a player with more honor than you gains honor, augment 1 potential to influence. This passive ability occurs on other players' turns. Does not apply to an honor gain that would cause a player to pass you from equal or lesser honor.
- Impunity. Passive: other players must pay double, rounded up, for abilities that affect any of your cards or blocks. This includes the control of regions.
- Leadership. Gain 2 honor each turn you convert to courage. This trait gains you a maximum of 2 honor per turn.
- Loyalty. When you activate your character, you may return 1 influence from a companion to your influence sphere.
- Patience. Skip a turn. Gain 1 courage, 1 vision, and 1 wisdom. Gain these attributes—you may not take any other actions this turn.
- Persistence. When you gain honor from 2 or more sources on a single turn, gain 2 honor. This persistence ability does not count as one of the sources.
- Preparation. Each time you gain a card, increase its honor yield (in the upper-right corner) by 1.
- Purpose. When you activate yourself, gain 1 extra of the chosen attribute. Adds 1 to the attribute yield. These attributes must be the same type.
- Resilience. It is not necessary to add more than 4 influence to any of your companions. As long as one of your companions has 4 or more influence blocks on it, you may activate that companion without adding more influence.
- Wanderlust. When you move 4 or more on one turn, gain 1 honor.
- Wonder. When activated, each of your companions may produce the attributes of 1 of your other companions.
Index: Monsters
Note: The honor in the upper-right is gained immediately when a monster is defeated, but monster bonuses only apply at the end of the game during final scoring.
- Crazed Butterfly Smasher. At game end, gain 1 honor for each of your companions. Includes treacherous companions.
- Custodian of the Inner Tomb. At game end, gain 2 honor for each wisdom you possess. This refers to unused wisdom on the main board.
- Dro'zol, Overlord of the Vortex. At game end, gain 2 honor for every 2 conviction you possess. This refers to unused conviction on your power board. Must be scored in pairs (1 conviction = 0 honor).
- Drogas, the Living Darkness. At game end, gain 1 honor for each card color in your possession. Does not include journey cards. Includes secret quest cards so long as a portion of the quests has been completed; if none of the quests on your secret quest cards have been completed, this does not count as a card color.
- Drurg, Wanton Smasher. At game end, gain 1 honor for each region you control.
- Hideous Purple Slime. At game end, gain 2 honor for each vision you possess. This refers to unused vision on the main board.
- The Invigorated Dead. At game end, gain 1 honor for each monster you have defeated.
- Mornak, Lost in Shadow. At game end, gain 1 honor for every 2 influence you possess. This refers to unused influence on your power board.
- Ogun, the Living Bark. At game end, gain 2 honor for each of your traits. Includes treacherous traits.
- Oya, Carnivorous Blossom. At game end, gain 7 honor if there are no blocks in your power board's potential sphere.
- Sentinel of the Gaping Maw. At game end, gain 2 honor for each courage you possess. This refers to unused courage on the main board.
- Smoldering Fright Crawler. At game end, gain 2 honor for each of your proficiencies (any color).
- Sula, Mutated Pond Thrasher. At game end, gain honor equal to your speed +2. Base speed without upgrades would yield 4 honor, etc.
- Twin Voices of Fear and Despair. At game end, gain 3 honor for each of your end-game trigger tokens.
- The Unspeakable. At game end, gain 2 honor for each of your relics.
- Vish'ne, Warden of the Crags. At game end, gain 6 honor if you have at least 1 relic, 1 trait, and 1 monster card. This card counts toward the monster requirement.
Index: Relics
Note: Relic abilities can only be used once per turn. You can use more than one relic per turn.
- Armguards of the Beast Mistress. Move 1 influence from this relic to your speed tile. Gain +1 speed. These bonuses stack and persist after upgrading your mount. You lose the speed increase if you recover influence from speed tiles.
- Ceremonial Alter Knife (Ethereal). Return 1 influence from this relic to your potential and gain 3 honor.
- Charged Portal Stone. Return 1 influence: teleport to any unoccupied space.
- Dawn-Seeker Signet. Return 1 influence: convert 1 inspiration to 1 wisdom.
- Glimmering Orb of Conundrums. Return 1 influence to the conviction sphere on your power board. Influence moves from this relic to your conviction sphere instead of your influence sphere.
- Mirror of Alternate Realities. Return 1 influence: gain the attributes of another player's companion this turn. Does not grant the ability of that companion—just the attributes.
- Pendant of Potency. Return 1 influence: convert 1 strength to 1 courage.
- Pouch of Glowberries. Return 1 influence: roll the attribute die. Gain the attribute of the roll.
- Scepter of Blue Blazes. Return 1 influence: convert 1 knowledge to 1 vision.
- Scroll of the High-Born. Return 1 influence: augment 1 potential to influence.
- Shield of Dread and Wonder. Move 1 influence from this relic to a companion you control: gain its attributes.
- Taker of Stars. Return 1 influence: if there are 3 or more end-game triggers active, remove one. You may choose which to remove.
- That Which Was Broken. Influence here counts toward Vision mastery. With 3 influence on this card, it would count 4 towards vision mastery (one for the card itself).
- Timeworn Mask of the Invader. Use 1 influence from this relic to gain control of an adjacent, uncontrolled region. Influence moves from this relic to the region instead of your influence sphere.
- Tome of Elemental Mastery. Return 1 influence: redistribute your inspiration, knowledge, and strength. You may pick up and move your blocks freely within these attribute spheres on the main board.
- Yenara's Glittery Pink Elixir. Return 1 influence: return up to 2 influence from one companion. Influence moves from one companion to your influence sphere.
Index: End-Game Triggers
Note: When the criteria has been met on one or more of the end-game trigger cards, the next round becomes the final round.
- All In. When 1 player has zero blocks on his/her power board, the next round becomes the final round. This means that all of the blocks are currently in the attribute spheres, on companions, on relics, or on region tiles.
- Balance. When 1 player has acquired a card of each of the 6 colors on the board, the next round becomes the final round. This can include the companion you started with at the beginning of the game.
- Companions. When 1 player has acquired 6 or more companions, the next round becomes the final round. Companions who were lost or abandoned do not count towards this total.
- Monsters. When 1 monster more than the number of players has been defeated, the next round becomes the final round. Example: this means that in a 4 player game, 5 monsters have been defeated collectively.
- Proficiencies. When 2 proficiencies more than the number of players have been acquired, the next round becomes the final round. Example: this means that in a 4 player game, 6 proficiencies have been acquired collectively.
- Regions. When 1 player controls 4 regions more than each other player, the next round becomes the final round. The player who triggers this must have 4 more regions than all other players, compared individually.
- Relics. When 1 relic more than the number of players has been acquired, the next round becomes the final round. Example: this means that in a 3 player game, 4 relics have been acquired collectively.
- Supremacy. When 1 player has 6 or more: courage or vision or wisdom, the next round becomes the final round. The player who triggers this must have 6 more of a single heroic attribute at the same time (courage, wisdom, or vision).
- Swiftness. When all players have upgraded their mount to at least speed 4 (or speed 5 in a 2-player game), the next round becomes the final round.
- Traits. When 1 trait more than the number of players has been acquired, the next round becomes the final round. Example: this means that in a 3 player game, 4 traits have been attained collectively.
- Trigger Tokens. When the last end-game trigger token is acquired by a player, the next round becomes the final round.
- Vindication. When all players have been vindicated, (vindicate by augmenting all potential and having at least 25 honor) the next round becomes the final round.
Expanded Content
Each of our journeys are unique, even the most basic experiences bringing great challenges, variety, and satisfaction. In some souls though, churns a hunger for something more. A desire pulsing in their spirit for new experiences, for fresh opportunities. Different paths to new horizons. To go deeper. They needn't worry. The island affords options enough for even the most adventurous traveler. This is your experience, make it the one you want it to be.
Treachery Expansion
The optional 15-card Treachery expansion allows you to disrupt others while often making more significant personal gains… at the expense of honor.
Distribution of Treachery Cards
After all players have completed their journey cards at the start of the game, treachery cards can be shuffled into the card stacks with matching backs. It's that simple. For example, treacherous traits have normal green trait backs, and are simply shuffled into the trait stack at the beginning of the game.
Messin' With Your Mojo
The primary benefit of treachery is the ability to affect other players directly. Doing so is of course dishonorable, so the loss of honor is part of the cost.
- Acquiring a treachery card is no different than any other card in the game.
- Only the cards in the stack are the limit to the number of treachery cards you can acquire.
- Treachery cards DO NOT count toward mastery at the end of the game (any color).
- You DO NOT lose or gain honor when you lose a treacherous companion.
IMPORTANT: ADJACENCY. Your companions who are treacherous primarily disrupt other players who are adjacent to them on the map, so getting close to other players is important. Conversely, if other players are using treachery, it's best to steer clear and don't let them anywhere near you on the map.
Index: Treachery Cards
Note: Treachery cards are only used when playing with the Treachery expansion. These cannot be starting companions.
- Boots of Mad Dashing (Cursed Relic). When acquired, place 1-3 influence here. Lose 1 honor and return 1 influence: move all players up to 4 spaces on the map. Includes yourself. May be zero.
- Conviction Siphon (Cursed Relic). When acquired, place 1-3 influence here. Lose 1 honor and return 1 influence: use another player's conviction (1) for yourself. The other player must dilute 1 conviction to influence on their power board. You may use influence to denote control of a region.
- Deception (Trait). Lose 1 honor: use only 1 conviction to gain control of another player's map region if you're adjacent to it. This loss of honor and conviction represents the entire cost. No honor is gained for the new region.
- The False Tongue (Blue Companion). Traitor. Initiative = 49. Dilute 1 power: add a black treachery block to an adjacent map player's companion. It cannot be activated until the block is removed for 1 conviction. The other player must be adjacent to you on the map. Any player may pay the conviction cost to remove the treachery block.
- Feth, the Vengeful (Red Companion). Bully. Initiative = 30. You may displace another player on the map by moving them 1 space. If you do, gain 2 strength. When you move into or through a space with another player, move their medallion 1 space in any direction (unoccupied). If there are no legal movements available for you or the other player, you may not use this ability.
- Greed (Trait). Lose 1 honor: an adjacent map player loses an attribute of their choice. You gain 3 of that attribute. The other player must be adjacent to you on the map. If the other player has no attributes, there is no effect.
- Hubris (Trait). Lose 1 honor: augment 2 potential to influence. An adjacent map player must dilute 1 power. The other player must be adjacent to you on the map.
- Kuvot, the Mind Thief (Blue Companion). Dark Wizard. Initiative = 37. Lose 1 honor: gain a proficiency tile from an adjacent map player of their choice. That player gains 2 honor. The other player must be adjacent to you on the map.
- Seven Quills, Highland Vandal (Red Companion). Soldier of Fortune. Initiative = 6. Dilute 1 power: add a black treachery block to an adjacent map player's relic or trait. It cannot be used until the block is removed for 1 conviction. The other player must be adjacent to you on the map. Any player may pay the conviction cost to remove the treachery block.
- Sidney, the Undisciplined (Yellow Companion). Tiny Terror. Initiative = 61. Dilute 1 power: add a black treachery block to an adjacent map region. It cannot be visited or scored until the block is removed for 1 conviction. Any player may pay the conviction cost to remove the treachery block.
- Strann, the Oppressor (Red Companion). Tough Guy. Initiative = 17. If you move through another player, augment 1 influence to conviction. That player suffers -1 inspiration.
- Toule, the Underhanded (Yellow Companion). Thief. Initiative = 51. Augment 1 potential to influence. An adjacent map player loses 1 attribute of their choice. You may use this ability if there are no players adjacent to you on the map.
- Vrix, Monarch of Frost (Blue Companion). Dark Mage. Initiative = 50. Switch places with another player within 2 spaces on the map.
- Yenara's Murky Green Toxin (Cursed Relic). When acquired, place 1-3 influence here. Lose 1 honor and return 1 influence: all other players add 2 influence to a companion. Each other player places 2 influence on a companion they control. If they have no influence in their influence sphere on their power board, they must recover influence (p.8).
- Zula, the Wretched (Yellow Companion). Rogue. Initiative = 20. Return 2 influence from Zula to your influence sphere. An adjacent map player suffers -1 inspiration. You may use this ability if there are no players adjacent to you on the map.
Expansion Regions
IMPORTANT — 4 rules for choosing which region tiles to remove from a game:
- Rule 1: Always Use the Arcane Tower, the Ancient Tomb, and the Gaping Maw. Acquiring magical relics, defeating monsters, and attaining traits are critical to the game, so these 3 tiles should always be used.
- Rule 2: Always Use an Equal Number of Holy Spires, Forts, and Libraries. To maintain an equal balance of attributes, use these tiles in equal numbers.
- Rule 3: Always Use an Equal Number of Command Posts, Shrines, and Monasteries. These regions are also tied to the balance of attributes, so be sure to use them in equal numbers.
- Rule 4: Always Use at Least 2 Inns. There should always be at least 2 inns on the board to allow players access to new companions.
Note: Having a third inn is helpful for the first game or when players are still learning. After that, it can be swapped out in favor of a region replacement. Like the region expansions, the Academy has an independent ability and therefore is a first choice for swapping out in favor of a region expansion.
Using 1 or 2 Expansion Regions. To swap 1 tile: swap your expansion tile for the Academy or an inn. To swap 2 tiles: swap your expansion tiles for both the Academy and an inn.
Using 3 Regions. Basic Option: swap your tiles in for 1 holy spire, 1 fort, and 1 library. This option requires players to rely more on companions to gain attributes. Advanced Option: swap your tiles in for 1 command post, 1 monastery, and 1 shrine. This option makes it more difficult to augment power, upgrade mounts, and return influence from companions.
Using 4 or 5 Expansion Regions. Follow the same recommendations to end up with your 19 tiles, using either 4-Tile/5-Tile Basic or Advanced Options that remove the Academy and/or an inn, plus balanced attribute tiles.
Using 6 Expansion Regions. 6-Tile Advanced-Only Option: Remove 1 holy spire, 1 fort, 1 library, 1 command post, 1 monastery, and 1 shrine.
Jewelcrafter Expansion (3-Tile Set)
The jewelcrafter 3-tile set includes 1 jewelcrafter tile and 2 crystal mines. It is important to play with these tiles as a complete set. When visiting the crystal mine, gain 1 crystal, plus 1 crystal for each mine you control. When used, return all crystals to the supply on the board.
Crystals can be used as many times as you can afford it at the Jewelcrafter map region:
- Use 1 crystal to pay off a companion and return 2 influence from that companion back to your influence sphere.
- Turn in 3 crystals to the jewelcrafter to gain 2 honor.
- Turn in 3 attributes of the same type and 1 crystal at the jewelcrafter to create an infused crystal (gemstone).
Infused Crystals (Gemstones) count as permanent attributes. For example, you could defeat a monster using 1 courage from the board, and the courage-infused crystal in place of the other courage. They can also be used to convert heroic attributes.
Index: Infused Crystals — Once per turn, you may use a color-Infused Crystal in place of 1 attribute of that color (Courage-, Inspiration-, Knowledge-, Strength-, Vision-, and Wisdom-Infused Crystals).
Exotic Pet Menagerie Expansion (1-Tile Expansion)
Setting up the Market. When setting up a game with the exotic pet menagerie, flip 3 pets face up next to the face-down stack. This is known as the pet market.
When visiting the exotic pet menagerie:
- Use 1 inspiration, 1 knowledge, and 1 strength.
- Choose 1 pet from the market, or draw the top face-down pet.
Pets attach permanently to your companions. When you gain a new pet, attach that pet to a companion you control, who becomes its master. Some pet abilities activate when you activate their master, and some are passive, staying active as long as both the pet and its master are in your party. Things to note:
- You may move a pet to a new master by adding 1 influence to the new master. You may trade pets between companions by adding 1 influence to each master. You may repeat this any number of times, with any number of pets.
- If you lose control of a pet's master due to the treachery or other effect from another player, or it is killed by a monster, you may move the pet to another companion you control for free. If it was the only companion in your party, you may assign it temporarily to your character, but its abilities cannot be used until the pet finds a new master (another companion).
- If you abandon a pet's master, you abandon the pet also—it cannot be moved to your character or another companion. Doing so causes you to lose the honor of both the companion and the pet.
- A companion can have any number of pets.
Index: Pets — Pet cards are only used when playing with the exotic pet menagerie tile expansion. Using pet abilities is always optional. Notable pets include Brokk, Defender of the Order (while attached, that companion cannot be killed); Claude (empowered draws require no conviction); Ketena, the Ancient (visit a region 1 extra space away); Vak'Ikk, Warden of the Coast (move along numbered coast spaces); and Yi'Qua, of Mighty Wind and Cloud (flip a face-down card on the main board).
Sacred Stones Expansion (2-Tile Set)
When visiting the sacred stones, you may teleport to any space adjacent to either sacred stones region in place of your normal movement.
- If you are adjacent to one of the sacred stones regions and control one of them, you may teleport to any space adjacent to either sacred stones region—and then take your normal movement in addition.
- If you are adjacent to one of the sacred stones regions and control both of them, you may teleport anywhere on the map—and then take your normal movement.
Temple Ruins Expansion (1-Tile Expansion)
When visiting the temple ruins, you may draw 2 secret quests and keep 1, shuffling the other back into the stack. There is no limit to the amount of secret quests you can accept, and there is no penalty for incomplete quest cards.
Well of Wishes Expansion (1-Tile Expansion)
Setting Up. When setting up a game with the well of wishes, turn all 15 wish tokens so that the wishing well side is up beside the main board. Then randomly flip 3 wish tokens over and place them on the well of wishes region tile.
Wish Tokens. When visiting the well of wishes, you may select 1 of the 3 available wish tokens and immediately gain the attributes or honor. Then, randomize the selected token back into the pool of tokens and place a new wish token on the well, so that there are always 3 tokens there.
Building Site Expansion (Adjustable Tile Set)
Building sites allow players to affect when certain region expansion tiles come out during game play instead of drawing blind. Drawing a building site tile merely reveals the opportunity to build it. However, building on this tile replaces your visit action.
Setting Up. At the beginning of the game, select the expansion tiles you wish to make available and place them face-up next to the game board. Then, use the guide (p.34) to remove an equal number of core tiles from the bag and replace them with an equal number of building site tiles.
Using Building Sites. When a player draws a building site tile from the bag, it is placed normally. As a visit action, that player may then use 1 conviction to choose one of the available expansion region tiles and build it there. Doing so automatically grants that player control of that region (and honor). If that player does not build on the site, another player may use their map action (on their turn) to build there.
Guilds & Monuments Expansion
Setting Up. After the basic setup of the game, each player takes the Guilds & Monuments expansion board matching their color and the triangular medallion with the same guild symbol. There are no strategic differences between the guilds.
The five guilds are: Fellowship of the Light, Circle of the Unbound Mind, Order of the Folded Leaf, Clan of the Echoing Blade, and The Twilight Brotherhood.
Using Guild Favor
You now have a 4th action each turn—placing your guild favor token.
- You may not place your guild favor token in the same place 2 turns in a row—you must move it.
- The token remains active where it is placed until it is moved—even during other players' turns.
- You may not place your guild favor token where another one exists.
Guild favor abilities depend on where you place the token:
- Fortifying Regions. Place your guild favor token on a region you control, then flip the region tile to the side with 3 spheres to indicate that it is fortified. Fortified regions cannot be controlled by another player for the duration of the game, even after your guild favor token is removed. (Non-fortified side has 1 sphere; fortified side has 3 spheres.)
- Diplomacy. Use guild favor on an opponent's tile: until your next turn, when you or any other player visit this tile, you and the player who controls the region split the honor—1 each.
- Barricade. Use guild favor on an open space: as long as your guild favor token is here, gain 2 honor whenever an opponent lands on, or passes through, this space.
- Leadership. Use guild favor on your power board: augment 1 block from potential to influence, or from influence to conviction (depending on where you place the guild favor token). Guild favor also acts in your favor against treachery. Effects controlled by other players cannot cause you to dilute power in the area where your guild favor token is.
- Allegiance. Use guild favor on a companion you control: this turn, that companion returns 1 influence to your pool when activated instead of requiring you to add 1 from your influence sphere.
- Empowerment. Use guild favor on a relic you control: this turn, you may add 1 charge to the relic when using its power instead of returning 1 influence back to your influence sphere.
- Commendation. Use guild favor on one of your traits: gain 1 honor whenever it is used or triggered while the guild favor token is on it.
- Destiny's Fate. Use guild favor on a monster you have defeated: instead of rolling a die (for any reason), roll it twice and choose from the results. This effect does not stack with other reroll effects.
Monument Reconstruction
Use guild favor on your monument: this turn, you may contribute any number of proficiencies and attributes towards the reconstruction of this monument to honor your guild. Attributes are taken directly from the main board, and conviction is placed from your power board.
- The 2 proficiencies used here cannot be the same.
- You may not use, score, or recover influence, attributes, proficiencies or conviction from an incomplete monument.
Once all spaces are filled, score 15 honor and return all assets back to their original locations (proficiencies to your personal supply and attributes to the spheres on the main board).
Myths & Wonders Expansion
Setting Up. After the basic setup of the game:
- Set the Myths & Wonders board next to the main board. Use the side appropriate to the number of players — the red flag in the upper right for 2-3 players and the blue flag for 4-5 players.
- Remove either the Academy region tile or one of the inn region tiles from the game so that there are only 18 region tiles in the bag.
- Place the Myths & Wonders region tile — Ronak, the Earth Trembler side up — on the center of the map on the game board. (Ronak is the giant dragon-looking-thing. Tuuk-Tuuk, Boulder Hulk is the rock-monster-looking-thing. That side goes face-down.)
- Place 6 black treachery blocks on the intersections surrounding Ronak.
- Start the game.
The Objective. The objective of the event is to provoke Ronak, the Earth Trembler, attack him, and survive until you are rescued by Tuuk-Tuuk, Boulder Hulk — Guardian of the Ancients. Once all of the areas on the Myths & Wonders board are filled by player attributes and conviction, Tuuk-Tuuk arrives to deal the final blows, sending Ronak on a permanent vacation.
Provoking Ronak. The game is played as normal with the following exception: when a player ends his/her movement on an intersection with a treachery block, move it onto the Ronak region tile (passing over a block does not move the block). When all 6 blocks have been moved onto the Ronak region tile, he emerges, ready to unleash his wrath upon you and the rest of humanity. Move Ronak's miniature onto his region tile to signify that he is active. The player who triggers the emergence of Ronak may finish their turn.
Preparations. Once Ronak is active, a sub-game begins. All players remain stationary on the map and participate in the event until it is complete. Once Ronak has been defeated, play resumes as normal, starting with the player who has the Sestra, Lorekeeper miniature.
- The player who would be next takes the Sestra, Lorekeeper miniature to denote their starting player status once the event is over.
- All players may augment up to 3 additional influence to conviction at the start of the event.
Determining Initiative. To determine initiative, place a black treachery block on the companion in your party with the lowest initiative — this is your champion. The champion with the lowest initiative plays first. Play then continues clockwise. Initiative is located beneath the companion name, to the right of their title.
Fighting Ronak
Unlike normal play, you will not move on the board or visit regions until Ronak has been defeated. Instead, you will take these 3 actions per turn:
- 1) Generate Attributes (optional, once per turn). Each turn, generate attributes by activating any 1 of your companions (or your character). You may convert attributes at any time as normal. You may not recover influence from the Myths & Wonders board.
- 2) Contribute an Attribute (optional, once per turn). To contribute an attribute to the battle, move 1 attribute from the main board (or conviction from your power board) onto the Myths & Wonders battle board into a corresponding sphere of your choice. For example, you may contribute 1 of your courage from the main board into the bottom sphere in the courage ring to gain 2 honor. Only courage can be used in the 3 spheres in the courage ring. Bonuses from the rings include: return 2 influence from companions to your power board; augment 1 potential to influence; augment 1 influence to conviction; take a teleportation token (used once to teleport to any unoccupied space, only available after the event in 4- and 5-player games); pick first when loot is awarded; and clone an effect that is no longer available in the attribute rings.
- 3) Roll the Dice. Whether or not you contribute to the battle, you will gain bonus attributes for being in the fight—and Ronak will counterattack (he will not counterattack after the final space is filled). Each turn, your champion will lead your attack: roll both dice. Gain the attribute on the white die, and suffer the consequence on the black die. If your champion dies, the companion in your party with the next lowest initiative becomes your new champion. If all of your companions are all killed, you must skip your turns until Ronak has been defeated. Remember, conviction can be used to prevent the death of a champion. If all companions are killed, Ronak wins and the event completely resets. Return all blocks from the Myths & Wonders board to players' influence spheres and reset the treachery blocks.
The Guardian Returns. Once all of the spheres on the battle board are filled, return all influence back to its original main board and power board spheres. Tuuk-Tuuk, Boulder Hulk returns to deliver the final blows to Ronak, sending him sprawling into the Gaping Maw. Flip the tile on the center of the map from Ronak to Tuuk-Tuuk.
Visiting Tuuk-Tuuk. For the duration of the game, you may visit this tile as you would any other region. This region cannot be controlled by players. When you visit Tuuk-Tuuk, you may gain 1 of any attribute that you don't already have.
Dispersing Loot. Flip loot cards face up — two more than the number of players. Players now take turns selecting loot from this market. In 4-player and 5-player games, the player who selected the pick first loot sphere picks first. The player with the highest initiative companion picks next, then the next highest, and so on. In a 2 or 3-player game, the companion with the highest initiative picks first. Players with no companions pick last, in turn order. After each player has selected 1 loot, place all remaining loot cards back into the box and return to the main game!
Index: Loot Cards
Note: Loot cards are only used when playing with the Myths & Wonders expansion. They can be used once per turn.
- Ceremonial Spear of the Owl. Dilute 1 power: replace a relic you control with the face-up or top face-down relic on the board.
- Dust of Vanished Eons. Dilute 1 power: replace one of your companions with any face-up companion on the board.
- Enchanted Sky Rug. Dilute 1 power: teleport to any space adjacent to a tile you control instead of your normal movement.
- Medallion of the Everlit. Dilute 1 power: visit 1 additional region this turn. You can visit a second region, but not the same region twice.
- Peculiar Island Standard. Dilute 1 power: remove this card from the game, then acquire the face-down trait on the board.
- Prismatic Amulet of the Ages. Dilute 1 power: convert 1 influence to any attribute of your choice.
- Ring of Blind Ambition. Dilute 1 power: the next card you acquire this turn costs 1 less attribute of your choice.
- Sacred Plume. Dilute 1 power: replace an active end-game trigger with the top end-game trigger from the deck.
- Scepter of the Night Watcher. Dilute 1 power: exchange one of your proficiencies for any other available proficiency on the board.
- Scroll of Boundless Learning. Dilute 1 power: gain the attributes of any face-up companion in the game.
- Unidentified Magic. Dilute 1 power: remove this card from the game, then acquire the face-down relic on the board.
- Wand of Hypnotic Grip. Dilute 1 power: teleport to any space adjacent to another player instead of your normal movement.
Index: Journey Cards
Note: Journey cards are only used at the start of the game. Once used, they can be placed back in the box.
Thrown Overboard for Treachery — A New Journey Begins. Your body washes ashore. Place your medallion on this map triangle and your scoring disc on track space 15. A traveler revives you. Randomly draw a (color) companion card. (draw until you get a card that does not have this icon.) Something inside you awakens. Place 8 of your blocks into potential, 8 into influence, 2 into conviction, and 1 each into inspiration, knowledge, and strength on the main board. Players must choose a companion of the matching color on their journey card.
Game Components
- 1 Hexagonal Game Board
- 1 Visual Guide (Rulebook)
- 1 Lore/Art Book
- 1 Black Monster Die and 1 White Attribute Die
- 5 Quick-Reference Sheets
- 117 Wooden Blocks (21 each of 5 colors + 12 black)
- 5 Wooden Scoring Discs (1 each of 5 colors)
- 5 Metal Player Medallions with Stands (1 each of 5 metallic tones)
- 4 Metal End-Game Trigger Tokens
- 5 Metal Guild Favor Tokens (1 each of 5 metallic tones)
- 1 Embroidered Cloth Tile Pouch
- Component GameTrayz
- 5 Player Power Boards (1 each of 5 colors)
- 6 Mastery Tiles and 24 Proficiency Tiles
- 10 Speed/Mount Tiles
- 5 Wretched/Vindicated Player Tiles
- 15 Octagonal Attribute Tokens, 20 Round Crystal Tokens, and 5 Round Teleport Tokens
- 5 Triangular Guild Favor Tiles (1 each of 5 colors)
- 27 Hexagonal Map Region Tiles (17 Different Types)
- 6 Build Site Tiles
- 1 Myths & Wonders Tile
- 1 Myths & Wonders Expansion Board
- 5 Guilds & Monuments Expansion Boards (1 each of 5 colors)
- Plastic Miniatures: 1 Sestra Lorekeeper, 1 Ronak the Earth Trembler, and 4 guild Monument miniatures.
Die-Cut Cards (196): 20 Companions (Red), 20 Companions (Blue), 20 Companions (Yellow), 12 Loot Cards (Teal), 15 Pets (White), 16 Secret Quests (Lime), 16 Relics (Purple), 16 Traits (Green), 16 Monsters (Orange), 6 Infused Crystals (Burgundy), 12 Journey Cards (Brown), 12 End-Game Triggers (Grey), 15 Treachery Cards. (Treachery cards have the same backs as companions, traits, and relics, but have a black border on the front.)